The practice starts with 16 players, 9 Defenders in 2 teams the Red and the Blue, 6 Attackers in Yellow. The objective of the exercise is that the Yellows must pass the defenders in between the gates without been tagged. They can use any gate at any speed. The Defenders must protect their gates and do not let the Attackers cross them; they must stay on the white lines and only can travel sideways.

Key Points:

1-Decision making in terms of which gate to protect

2-ABC’s Agility on the movement, Balance and body positioning, Co-ordination team work on the movement work as a unit to cover more area and gates, Speed quick reaction and movement

3-Communication

Progression:

1-Start the drill with player’s movement only

2- Add a ball to the Defenders they now need to protect the gates and can’t lose the ball, they must keep them in their feet

3- Add a ball with the Attackers they must now travel between the gates with the ball on their feet

4- Change the Defenders with the attackers and let everyone have a go.

See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Football/Soccer images.

See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Football/Soccer images.

Mark out a quarter of a pitch in the central area around the penalty box (approx 35 by 35yeards)

Attacking team has 8 players in a 1-4-1-2 formation (GK feeds the ball to A2 or A3 who then attack towards the goal.The defending team has 6 players If the defending team wins it back, they can try to dribble or pass through the opposite team ans score goals on the opposite side.

Cover as a TEAM (Defending Triangles)

Defending as units to cover central areas, if the ball is played out wide, the opposite full back shuffles across to cover the central areas.

If marking the player, get tight and try to prevent the player from turning.

Key Factors:

1-Defend fairly deep to protect the penalty area

2-Nearest player to the ball closes down the midfield Attackers.

3-Decision affected by area of the field and position of the ball in relation to opponents ability to play forward and if closest defender has pressure on the ball or not

4-Second Defender closest to the ball supporting 1st defender when pressure on the ball or delaying forward play: Angle & Distance, mark player or space as needed, adjust position if attacker moves to go past 1st defender, cover the space

6-React, Recovery & Tracking, on lost possession need to make a decision, can we get pressure on immediately? If not then what? React, awareness, decision is dependent on pressure, recover into positions vacated by other players behind the ball, track opponents runs into areas that threaten your team, turn and face play as soon as possible

7-Communicate with the others regain Pressure-support-cover-balance-depth=COMPACTNESS

1-Add another attacker in to the play let A1 move in and participate in the movement

2-restrict the time for the attackers to score if they are taking too long to penetrate the penalty area

3-implement the offside line

4-Allow players 4 and 5 to join in the area marked and overload the attack

See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Football/Soccer images.

See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Football/Soccer images.

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Defend collectively to improve cover and support Small Side Game (25 mins)

2 Teams Red attacking and Blue defending

-The ball starts with the Red team attacking the opposite team goal. The team in possession can use the support players on the outside to progress on the pitch. The support players are restrict to play only in between the cones on the outside. Each team only can use the team support players on the side lines but any team can use the 2 support players next to the goals